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Heather Hoog, CTBS

Heather Hoog, CTBS

Donation Program Manager

Heather Hoog is the Donation Program Manager at the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research in Tampa, Florida. She manages a team that serves as donation educators and liaisons between the Lions Eye Institute ocular and musculoskeletal recovery teams, administration, and the partner facilities. Heather and her team partner with four different Organ Procurement Organizations, over 200 medical centers, 25 medical examiner and coroner offices, and numerous hospice and funeral home directors in multiple states. During the merger of RTI Donor Services and Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research in 2018, Heather was instrumental in combining two large Florida-based non-profit tissue banks with a seamless continuum of service. Previously, Heather was a career firefighter paramedic, a team member on multiple international medical and malnutrition clinics, and got her start as a CTBS certified recovery technician for Southeast Tissue Alliance, Regenerative Biologics, and RTI Donor Services. Heather's valued leadership style focuses on flexible communication with an emphasis on self-awareness. Credibility and the cultivation of relationships are earned through trust and respect - remain open to new ideas, inquiry, and constructive criticism. She believes an organization that values self-awareness gains the most respect amongst the community.

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  • Handling Difficult Post-Donation Conversations with Donor Families (Individual)
    Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits

    When it comes to working with donor families, often there is a focus on training coordinators to be skilled in facilitating authorization and conducting DRAIs. What happens when a donor family has an unfavorable post-donation experience? During this program, presenters will review case studies to explore best practices for handling difficult conversations with donor families after donation. Topics include strategies for resolving family grievances, managing perceptions and expectations for tissue outcomes, and mitigating negative experiences related to post-recovery funeral care.

  • Handling Difficult Post-Donation Conversations with Donor Families (Group)
    Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits

    When it comes to working with donor families, often there is a focus on training coordinators to be skilled in facilitating authorization and conducting DRAIs. What happens when a donor family has an unfavorable post-donation experience? During this program, presenters will review case studies to explore best practices for handling difficult conversations with donor families after donation. Topics include strategies for resolving family grievances, managing perceptions and expectations for tissue outcomes, and mitigating negative experiences related to post-recovery funeral care.

  • Engaging Interdepartmental Cooperation With The Donor Family Services Team
    Contains 2 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Presentations often focus on the accomplishments of a single department, but what about the amazing work that is being done between departments within an organization or even between organizations? This presentation seeks to offer examples of cooperation between various departments/agencies by focusing on Family Services departments in three different organizations: Carolina Donor Services, Lions Eye Institute for Transplantation and Research and New England Donor Services. The objective of this presentation is to help participants identify opportunities for interdepartmental/interagency cooperation and encourage dialog both within and between organizations.